


The Promise

by SummerInAmsterdam



Series: EtNuary [8]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Based off a theory, Betrayal, Brainwashing, Corruption, Demonic Possession, I'm so sorry Justine, Limbo, Possession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:15:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22180909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerInAmsterdam/pseuds/SummerInAmsterdam
Summary: Justine is dead. She's about to suffer the consequences of her failure. But first, there's something she needs to hear...EtNuary Day 8: Justine Ezarik
Series: EtNuary [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589350
Comments: 10
Kudos: 9





	The Promise

**Author's Note:**

> More context woo!  
> This is based off of a theory of mine I've labeled as "The Corruption Theory." I'm fairly sure I'm not the only one to come up with this theory, but I think it sounds cool and I like it a lot. The long and short of it is that the YouTubers who were killed in season 4 might be corrupted and possessed a result of a failed ritual to bring them back. Then they'll all collectively wreak havoc on Joey (and whoever survives that particular season by association) as revenge, probably as the ambush of monsters during episode 10.

If this was what Hell was like, it was different from what Justine’s always imagined it to be. Where was the brimstone? Where was all the fire? Where were all souls who were thrown down here, screaming as they were tortured for all eternity?

Justine saw nothing like that. Instead, it was all black. All she could see was black. She felt weightless as she seemed to be floating in an endless void of nothing.

Justine tried to think. Just moments ago, she was fighting for her life with Tana. Throughout the challenge, Justine was determined to redeem herself and prove to everyone that she deserved to live. Just when it was starting to look like they could both survive and come back to the group, Tana was forced to order the Pharaoh to kill her.

She wanted to cry. Justine knew Tana didn’t have a choice - she didn’t blame her for what happened to her. After all, they probably would have both died otherwise. But Justine was so close. She was _so close..._

At least she went out fighting... right?

But where the hell _was_ she? Pun not intended.

She opened her mouth to call out, but no sound came out. When she tried to say something, her throat started burning. Her hands flew to her neck instinctively, but it didn’t help with the pain. It felt like something heavy and hot was closed around her neck.

She was terrified. She didn’t know where she was, or what was happening to her.

 _Where am I?!_ She wanted to scream. _What’s happening?!_

**“You poor thing.”**

A voice spoke from the void. Justine couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. It seemed to be emanating either from all around her, or inside her head.

**“So young, so full of life, and so close to redemption. Only to have it all snuffed out before your time.”**

_Huh? Who’s saying that?_

She tried to call out again, but all that came out was a tiny croak. She'd scream if her throat would allow her. She’d run away if she could find some kind of ground to stand on.

She wanted to be anywhere but here.

**“You needn’t worry, child. I’m merely a friend who’s come to give you a little insight.”**

Justine knit her eyebrows worriedly. _Can this thing read my mind?_

**“Something like that.”**

Well, there was the answer to _that_ question. But it was strange. Justine knew she should be scared of this voice, and she _was._ But at the same time, the voice was almost something akin to enchanting. It was as if she was speaking to an old friend, rather than a terrifying disembodied voice in a vacuous oblivion.

**“I presume you’re wondering where you are, yes? Well, this isn’t Hell, child. You’ll be there shortly, however. It’s truly a shame, is it not?”**

Why was this voice acting so casual about Justine going to Hell?!

 _Uh,_ yeah! _Yeah it is! I don’t want to go to Hell!_

**“Of course you don’t. You are not deserving of what awaits you, I can tell.”**

_What do you mean? You don’t even know me._

**“I know more about you, and your circumstances, than you think, ‘Gambler.’ Or… is it ‘Adventurer’ this time?”**

Chills ran up and down Justine’s spine. What _was_ this thing? How did it know so much about her?  
****

**“Yes, it all started in an estate in the twenties. And now a museum in Purgatory set in the forties. And now look at you. About to burn for the misdeeds of another.”**

_Another? What are you talking about?_

**“Don’t you see, child? This is all the doing of one man - the very man who you once thought of as a brother. The man who invited you to the party that lead to your untimely demise at the hands of those you once called… _‘friends.’_ ”**

The word “friends” came out like it was supposed to mean something foul. It was as if the word was something repulsive that slinked its way out of the voice’s mouth. And this “man” the voice was talking about…

**“You know who I’m speaking of, don’t you? He’s the very man who claimed he wanted to save you all, but all he’s done is lure you all back into one of his deadly games. Why, he even voted for you to die. It seems he’s gotten his wish.”**

Joey. He was talking about Joey.

_But… no… He voted for me because he thought I could prove myself! I just wanted a chance to redeem myself! It’s not his fault!_

**“Are you sure about that? All those people in the museum… how do you suppose they all got there?”**

Well… Colleen _had_ been pretty vocal about how Joey “killed” all of them. Seven people was an awful lot, from what Justine could see. Had there been others, too? Then why hadn’t she seen Matt, or Andrea, or the others who were in the mansion with her and Tim? She could have sworn she saw them at some point…

Her head was starting to hurt.

**“Why are you concerning yourself with them? They all wanted you to die. Especially that supposed ‘Savant’ you love so much.”**

_Well… I guess he didn’t really stop them from ganging up on me. Or burying me alive the first time…_

**“Precisely.** **_He_ ** **did this to you.** **_He_ ** **brought you to that estate to die.** **_He_ ** **stood idly by and watched you die.** **_He_ ** **is responsible for** **_both_ ** **of your demises. He only brought you back to repeat the cycle.”**

_the… cycle..?_

She started feeling lightheaded. It felt as if her thoughts were no longer her own, but she almost didn’t care.

 **“You will not be the only one. There will be others.** **_Several_ ** **others. They will all suffer the same fate that you’ve experienced. And it will be Joey’s doing.”**

_but I thought… I thought he wanted… to… save us…_

**“Don’t be a fool, child. He’s not your friend. He’s no hero. He’s a murderer. He killed you. He killed your friends, and he’ll do it all over again.”**

Her chest hurt. Everything she'd believed about Joey was slowly trickling its way out of her mind. In the place of those feelings, thoughts of regret and anger gradually made a home in their stead.

_How… how could he? Joey, you… you lied to us..._

**“This will never stop, Justine. Joey cannot be trusted. And now you’re about to burn for the sins that** **_he_ ** **committed. He deserves the same fate you endured, and more.”**

_Like what..?_

Her body temperature seemed to drop by the second. For some reason, she wasn’t shivering.

**“Everything that happened to his so-called ‘friends’ because of him. Stabbed, beaten, shot, strangled, poisoned, disemboweled, torn to shreds, buried alive.”**

_Buried alive… just like I was..._

**“Indeed. It’s what he deserves.”**

_What he deserves._

**“Yes.”**

Her neck started pulsating with pain, and patches of skin on her body started to decompose and come off. It was excruciating. She hugged herself in vein to try and make the pain stop, and fruitlessly attempted to scream again. Everything left in her broken mind was full of _pain_ _pain everything hurts it hurts so much make it stop-_

Something snapped. The pain didn't stop. But she abruptly got used to it.

Her fear was gone, too - replaced with white hot hatred. All she’d wanted was a chance to prove herself, and now she was about to burn on _his_ behalf! She didn’t deserve this!

But _he_ did.

 _He_ did this to her. He did this to all of them. He felt nothing for any of them. His “friends” were just pieces of parking lot garbage who he could dispose of to save himself. Well, soon, it would all be for not.

She could finally speak, but the voice wasn’t fully her own. **_“Joey Graceffa will pay for what he did.”_ **

Justine would see to it that Joey Graceffa’s little games would come to an end in the most harrowing, agonizing, torturous way possible.

That was a promise.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry, Justine...


End file.
